Pressed in a Book
by Noah and The Archetypes
Summary: Winry Rockbell's apprentice is a bright young woman who excels in nearly everything, save for cooking and falling in love.
1. Chapter 1

It was a balmy November day wind blowing restlessly, almost as if it was expecting something. Perhaps a visitor of some sort, two young women sat in a small workshop the large bay windows letting in the cold winter light, the elder of the two young woman was babbling on about something that the younger, her apprentice didn't much care for. Her apprentice was a slight young woman who sat on the hard wooden floor, preferring it to the chair across the table from her blonde teacher. Her teacher was Amestrian, not that there was anything wrong with that to her, all there was, was a considerable language gap that the adolescent had managed to breach in the seven months that she had lived with her teacher, Winry Rockbell.

Winry stopped her rambling and looked down at the young lady who sat crouched over the piece of machinery, her gray oculi focused on the fingers of the apparatus "Your brother lives back in Drachma, yeah?"

The russet-haired individual looked up from the arm and nodded "Aleksi, my younger brother, I thought it would be suitable if I used duralumin and carbon fiber, I want the arm to be comfortable for him"

Winry smiled softly and let the conversation die, watching her pupil study the cords that would be connected to her brother's arms. She frowned as she noticed that the cords were wrong.

"Use a thicker wire, the thinner ones are great for domestic use, but they aren't as durable" The blonde offered digging through her toolbox before holding her hand up in victory, brandishing bulky wires

"Thank you" The Drachman nodded taking the cords, working tirelessly on her brother's automail.

Winry worked for another hour or so before retiring for the night, it had been a long day and she was ready to drop, she studied the young Drachman who sat on her floor as she closed her toolbox. There wasn't a lot she knew about her, besides the fact that her name was Mischa Svetlana, she was seventeen, and loved her brother dearly.

Mischa looked up from her work, feeling the young Rockbell's eyes on her. She asked for an anatomy book for a reference before bidding the woman goodnight. The quiet allowed her to get more word done than earlier when her mentor hadn't ceased to blathered on about this and that. She had grown accustomed to Winry's intensity, but it never failed to surprise her when she would let out a massive screech about something she had done wrong. Truth be told, though Winry was an expert she was a terrible teacher with a short fuse. Nevertheless, she was thankful that the hundreds of miles she had traveled had paid off.

It was much later when she retired for the evening, a bit after two, as the clocked had chimed earlier. Her overcast eyes widened as she heard arguing in the main room. She stood on the stairs leading up to her room, eavesdropping.

"Why don't you ever just call like a normal human being? Is that too hard?" Winry's voice was strained, and Mischa could only imagine how distressed her expression must have been, especially now that it was so late, or rather, so early in the morning.

"Well, I thought you like surprises" A distinct male voice chuckled richly "Besides, it's not like anything has really changed since the last time I saw you"

The voice was vaguely familiar, but from where she did not know. Mischa leaned against the wall to listen some more. Thoroughly content in listening to the conversation until it became too fast for her to understand, grumbling about how she was too stupid to understand Amestrian, she ghosted up the stairs, pausing only to hear one last thing.

"Things have changed Edward, I can't wait forever you know! I've got a girl from Drachma, she counting on me to teach her how to build an arm for her brother! Believe it or not, she's got potential, a lot of potential, and she needs me to help her." Winry sounded almost distraught with the man "If you need your arm fixed that's fine, but don't expect me to be waiting next time you come back"

There was silence and Mischa shook her head, feeling that maybe she had ruined something for her teacher.

The next morning the Drachman had found Winry and the blonde man sitting in the workshop, he whispering sweet nothings in her ear. She coughed lightly to alert them of her presence, the duo jerked apart and Winry blushed deeply

"I'm sorry to disturb you, I was just going to tell you that the arm is finished and I will be taking my leave soon" Mischa nodded, her silvery eyes serious and dark.

"Will you be back in time for the wedding?" Winry asked eagerly, surprising the youth

"I- I- I, uh, do not know" Mischa sighed "I must fetch my brother"

"How long do you think it will take? I want you to be my maid of honor" the lively woman pressed

"I'm…oh Winry" the Drachman shook her head "You can't push your wedding back because of me. I will return in two weeks"

"Good! We're having the wedding in a month" Her mentor grinned

"I depart this afternoon" Mischa bowed slightly "I will return as soon as possible"

Winry's eyes bulged as she asked why she would depart so soon, Mischa simply bowed again and grabbed her pack from the floor. She was sitting in the chair by the door when the blonde man from the workshop approached her, she looked up from lacing her boots and stared sullenly.

"You're her…apprentice then?" He asked his golden eyes studying her

"Yes, I am Mischa Svetlana" She poked out her hand in salutation

Taking her hand he shook it firmly "Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist"

He took pride in the title she could tell, she smiled softly at that, her stern mask dissolving "Well, I must be off to the train station, it was…a pleasure to meet you"

"You're retrieving your brother, he's the one you're making the arm for isn't he?" Edward pressed

She nodded "It's the least I can do for him"

And with that, she was out the door, her eyes set on the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

It was four days to the north-most city in Amestris, North City, from there it would be a two day journey to the southern Drachman city of Camapa. Mischa sighed heavily, leaning her head against the frosty glass, it was three more hours until she saw her brother. Three more hours until she would see Aleksi.

The last time she had seen her brother was days after the accident, his mop of coppery hair had been damp with sweat, his eyes clouded with pain, she had held his remaining hand and wept. A few of his stitches unraveled and he had begun to bleed heavily, soaking the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed with his scarlet blood.

Shaking her head Mischa banished thought from her mind and looked at the driver of the sled, who simply continued through the snow towards the horizon, where the citadel awaited them. The air was refreshing against her face, the cold stung her lungs, in a prickling sort of feeling that revived the spark behind her eyes. This was it, this was where she would see her brother and make amends.

"Miss Svetlana?" The sled driver asked in their native language "Is your family expecting you to return?"

Mischa shook her head, replying in the same tongue "Not at all, I think they'd be rather upset to see me sir"

"Do you know where he is in Camapa?" He asked as they slowed to a brisk walk

Looking ahead at the sled dogs she nodded "I've written him a few times, he's with a friend"

The rest of the trip was silent, pulling up to the gates they were greeted by Drachman guards, wearing their iconic ushanka.

"State your business" The taller of the two guards ordered gruffly

Mischa pulled back the hood of her parka, "I have no need of business"

The two guards paled considerably and waved up to the porter to open the gates, Mischa smiled jovially, waving goodbye to the men before the sled driver let out a massive:

"Hike!"

The citadel of Camapa was beautiful, covered in snow there was a certain amount of cheer from the residents, most of them readying for the holidays which lasted roughly a month. Gliding through back ways the young woman's eyes glowed with wonderment, she had dreamed of this day for so long. Aleksi would have his arm again!

She could see it now, her brother doing menial tasks with both hands, he would wash the dishes and help her fold laundry. He would be able to catch lightening bugs and do cartwheels. All because she had dedicated her life to machinery, because of her, he would have an arm, because of her, he was getting a new arm.

Letting herself into a house in a modest neighborhood she called out "And no one cares to meet the prodigal sister?"

The sound bare feet pounding against the wooden floor sent Mischa's heart into overdrive, holding a hand to her chest, as if to calm her drumming heart. A boy, roughly seven, nearly tackled her in a one-armed hug.

"Oh Mischa! You came back!" Mischa laughed at the adolescent's statement

An elderly woman leaned against the doorframe "You have no idea how angry your father is with you"

Shooting her a stern look she silenced the aged lady, she knelt down and looked the little boy in the eye "Now Aleksi, we're leaving tomorrow okay? I'm going to put an arm on you"

The boy's sienna locks covered his eyes for a moment and pushing them out of the way with his hand she smiled brightly "Where are we going?"

Mischa looked down at the Aleksi for a few moments before grinning "It's a far away place called Resembool, now go pack your things dearest, we've got to leave early if we want to make it back in time"

Aleksi nodded happily before taking off down the hall, "Adventure! Adventure!"

The adolescent got up from her place on the floor and took off her coat "I'll take him to the inn tonight if you don't mind, I'd rather not run into Niklos"

"Your father raised you better" The lady spat

"He is no father of mine" She returned with venom

"Treachery!" The elderly lady screeched in horror "You could be executed for your words!"

"I am here to ensure that Aleksi lives to do what I cannot" Hissing, the crackling fire lit her eyes, making her look deadly

"Then face your father and you will do what he can"

Mischa's grey eyes went cold, she turned from the woman and made her way down the hallway to her old bedroom, there was a thick layer of dust covering most of her belongings, no one had entered this room since she had left. The coverlet was folded the same way that she had left it that morning, the top left corner folded down ever-so-slightly. There were canvases stacked in the corner, art that she had worked so painstakingly on during the summer before, the summer that had ruined everything in her opinion.

Pulling out a drawer in her vanity she smiled, seeing that everything was still in it's place, reaching into the drawer she hastily shoved her hand's content's into her pocket. Shutting the door quietly she came face to face with a bundled up child excited to be with his favorite person again.

It was hard for her to admit that she had cried into her pillow some nights, enveloped in guilt that she had ruined her brother's life. Taking his bag she slung it over her shoulder, and took the small mitten clad hand in hers.

"Let's get of out here yeah?" The words were Drachman and sweet on her tongue, but what made every moment worth it was Aleksi's expression of reverence when he looked up at his sister

They had made it back to Amestris without any problems, it was the four day train ride that Mischa was worried about, the child had never traveled extensively, besides to the major cities in the fatherland. Another issue she was about to face was how to explain things to Aleksi, he spoke no Amestrian, and translating everything would be a hassle. She prayed that he would adjust well in the two years it took him to rehabilitate his left arm. Two years that they would be just out of the grasp of their father. He seemed to be almost omnipresent, shaking her head she looked down at the child curled up in her arms. He could be mistaken for her child, the long lashes and piercing gray oculi were strong indicators, along with the same delicate nose. Mischa pressed her lips to the top of his head and smiled softly as he yawned, much like a kitten.

"How far away is Risepool, 'Cha?" Aleksi asked looking up at her, he used the abridged version of her name in his sluggish state

She smiled at his mispronunciation of the Amestrian village, every little bit of this journey was worth it, the two weeks of non-stop traveling where worth it for her. A warm feeling emitting from her heart made her ever-so-aware that she loved this child, not as a brother, but as her own. This was her baby, her son, and damned if her father was going to do anything about it.

"Not too far away now baby, not too far away" She laughed softly as the train's gentle click-clacking rocked him back to sleep.

Two towns away from Resembool, their train broke down, after having a short conversation with the conductor, Mischa learned that their train wouldn't be fixed until tomorrow morning. She took this as an opportunity to find the nearest inn and wash up. And maybe find a decent meal for her ward.

"Are we here?" Aleksi asked confused as he looked around the small town

Shaking her head she laughed "No, no dearest, the train broke down"

The child's steel eyes widened in horror "Bandits?"

Throwing back her head she guffawed at the boy's question, she simply swung him up onto her hip and made better time towards the inn.


	3. Chapter 3

Aleksi sat on the edge of the bed with his sister, she was currently taking measurements of his arm and scribbling them down in her notebook, there would be few adjustments for her to make once they arrived in Resembool. Mischa attempted to imagine how Winry's face would look when she walked through the door with a small child, a child that barely came to their navels. Winry had commented the arm had looked a bit small, but Mischa had reassured her that it would be a fit.

"Will it hurt?" The child asked softly as he rubbed his stump

Mischa thought back to when they had been on the train, and her dear brother had grasped thin air in front of his stump, crying out in pain. She hadn't been aware that he was subject to the violent phantom pains. Doubling over, almost as if he were trying to protect his little phantom limb. Tears had spilled over his lids and down his face, she had held him close, trying to keep him calm, attempting to ease some of the pain.

Discarding the memory she shook her head slightly, thick coffee fringe covering her eyes. Aleksi sensed the change in her mood and wrapped his good arm around her in a form of comfort, he realized how badly the accident had hurt her, how she would look morosely at what had once been his arm, or just him, she would just look at him. He felt like crying at times, crying because even his sister couldn't look at him anymore. No one wanted to look at him anymore.

Suddenly the elder swooped him onto her lap, her notebook and measure falling to the floor, she smiled at him, cradling the child in her arms

"You know who I love the most?" She asked softly, holding him tightly

"Me" He confirmed wrapping his arm around her neck "You love me the most!"

"Now come on, we've got to get back to the train station" Mischa let him slide off of her lap "We'll get something to nosh on, okay?"

"When will we be there?" Her sibling asked softly as they left the room

Purchasing two tarts from a vendor the Drachman smiled "an hour or so, hopefully we can get a ride back to the Rockbell's from some kindly farmer"

"Rovells?" The Amestrian word was thick, jumbled on his tongue

"Let's try again dear, Rock-bell" She laughed softly

"Rovells" He nodded

Pulling him onto the train with her they stood on the back of the caboose, feeling the wind against their faces they grinned. Mischa's chocolate locks whipped against her face as she taught her brother a few Amestrian words. Her brother's eyes were alight, excited to learn the language his sister was becoming fluent in.

As the train sputtered to a stop Mischa stepped off the edge of the train, her brother after her, they landed on the platform with ease. Smiling up at his sister Aleksi asked if this was the town they had traveled so far to reach.

"We're here, we're home now" The Drachman woman grinned, pulling him up into her arms with a great swing

"Hey!" A farmer waved her over "Aren't you Winry's apprentice?"

"Aye sir, I am" She nodded before nodding to her brother "This is my brother, Aleksi"

"Hello there Aleksi" The cultivator smiled at the child

"_He says hello"_ Mischa translated quietly before turning to the farmer "I'm afraid he doesn't speak much Amestrian"

"Well, if you wait for the next train, I'll take you up the hill to the Rockbell's" The farmer nodded, "Pinako asked me to pick up a friend"

Sitting in the back of the wagon Aleksi kept a lookout for the next train, which was, according to his sister's translation of the farmer's words, was very soon. And indeed it was. A young blonde man stepped off the train, greeting the farmer by name.

"Mr. Lucas!" The young man waved, his pack slung over his broad shoulders

He greatly resembled Edward, Winry's fiancé, though his ashen hair was considerably shorter, a few tendrils covering his forehead. His dark honeyed oculi glowed with excitement. Well dressed, Mischa studied his clothing, a white button up with a navy, almost black winter coat. He noticed the two of them in the back of the wagon and the curvature of his lips were directed at them as well.

"Are you going to Winry's as well?" He asked joining them in the back of the wagon

"Yes" She nodded, her guarded expression was obvious as she wrapped a protective arm around the child at her side

"I'm Alphonse Elric" He beamed, despite her frown, as he offered her a hand

Indeed he was the brother of Edward Elric, the obviousness of it was nearly appalling. She hesitated, staring at him. But, if he were a friend of Pinako's…

Timidly she poked out her hand "I'm Mischa Svetlana"

"_And me! I am Aleksi Svetlana!"_ Her brother leaned forward, understanding that they were making introductions

A puzzled expression crossed the young Elric's face "What did he say?"

"He said his name was Aleksi" She nodded "He speaks little Amestrian"

Alphonse nodded "Where are you two from?"

"Drachma" Mischa nodded towards the trees to their left "It's to the north"

"I know, but why come so far?" He pressed

"I'm Winry's apprentice, I plan on taking my knowledge back and taking on students of my own"

The young woman's answer surprised him, most people had come for a prosthetic limb of some sort, but this young woman had come seeking knowledge. It was when they had gone over a bump in the road and the wagon had nearly bounced them off, he noticed that the child beside her was missing an arm.

He understood her reasons behind learning the craft now, and those reasons were admirable. She was currently engrossed in a conversation with her brother, the Drachman words flowing freely between them. She had spoken Amestrian surprisingly well, he had supposed that Winry and Granny Pinako had taught her. There was something sort of regal about her, perhaps the slope of her delicate nose, or perhaps the way her hair fell around her shoulders, it was lustrous, a few shades darker than the boy beside her.

The boy beside her was missing his left arm, he resembled her greatly, perhaps her child or younger brother. Aleksi had the same silvery eyes as her, oculus that held such great passion. The angle of his delicate nose was the same as the elder Drachman. Redirecting his gaze at the young lady, Alphonse found that she was staring at him curiously. Probably because she had realized that he was studying the boy she kept her arm so protectively.

"Is there something that interests you?" Mischa inquired protectively

"Oh, please forgive me miss! I'm terribly sorry!" Alphonse's lips curved down slightly "I was just lost in thought!"

"Don't let it happen again" She bobbed her head dismissively

She turned back to the child and continued to babble on in Drachman, her head tossed back every once in awhile, letting laughter bubble from the threshold of her pouty lips. Mischa Svetlana was the apprentice of Winry Rockbell, and despite her cold attitude she had a wonderful laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

Winry was the first to run out and greet them. The wind had picked up, bringing the promise of rain with it, she had hugged Alphonse and then her student, the blustery weather nearly blowing them away. There had been a stare down between the youngest Drachman and the blonde woman, Aleksi's oculi never wavering from Winry's.

"So, you built an arm for a child?" Winry asked softly as she looked up at Mischa

The eldest of the two Svetlana's nodded "Yes"

Mr. Lucas, the farmer, had since driven his wagon away, leaving the four of them out in the open weather. Mischa's hair whipped about hitting her face, giving her a ferocious appearance, she scooped the child up in her arms and kissed the top of his head. He smiled warmly up at her, admiration deep within the iron ore eyes.

"You better come in before you get blown away now" Pinako called from the doorway, her pipe in her mouth

Entering, the four congregated in the kitchen, where a feast sat waiting, a honeyed ham sat center, looking large and delicious. Mischa sat her brother in the seat directly next to where she generally sat, and turned to the troupe who were busy greeting each other. Pinako patted the young woman's arm after Winry had hugged her enthused that her student had finally returned

"Mischa, you look so weary" Pinako looked up at the young woman, her eyes squinted behind her classes.

"Not nearly as tired as Aleksi" The adolescent laughed softly motioning to her brother whose head was nodding at the table

"He's a beautiful child" She smiled softly, "I remember when my Urey was that age, such a lively child he was"

"He's my baby" Mischa picked the small child up, his head resting on her shoulder "I'll go put him up in my room, I'll make him a plate for later when I come back down"

"_But they have ham"_ Aleksi yawned, his Drachman dialect prevalent in the room

"_There will be leftovers, I will make you a plate in case you wake up later"_ His sister gliding across the floor towards the stairway _"Just sleep dearest"_

She smiled softly as she pulled off Aleksi's boots, tucking him into bed. He yawned and settled into his bed comfortably. Mischa sat on the edge of the bed, watching the child sleep. His lips curved up for a few moments and his sister kissed his temple before shedding her coat and scarf on the chair in the corner of her- no, their room. Pausing to smooth her hair she smiled at herself in the dim light, she felt confident, but most of all, she was finally happy.

It had been a long time since she could say that she had been. There had been moments when she had _thought_ she was happy but now she could see that she hadn't really been. Mischa Svetlana had spent so many years running, running from her fears and running to keep them safe. She sighed heavily and stood in the doorway, her head resting on the timber that made up the threshold. Inhaling, the Drachman sighed deeply. Coming down the stairs she took her place at the table, beside Alphonse who smiled warmly at her.

"Is he asleep?" He asked quietly as Winry, Pinako, and Edward discussed wedding plans

"Out like a light" She nodded

"Miss Svetlana, about earlier-" Alphonse began, a contrite expression on his face

"Alphonse, there is no need for formalities" She nodded sipping her coffee "Please, call me Mischa"

"Mischa, I'm really sorry for making you uncomfortable, I didn't mean to stare-"

"What's done is done, there was no real harm"

She had shrugged softly, watching the young man pick at his food. He didn't appear to be very hungry, but more interested in the inner workings of his mind.

"What's Drachma like?" Alphonse asked suddenly, placing his fork down

Pursing her lips, her eyes became unfocused for a few moments, slowly she looked up from the table and nodded "It's not always cold like people think it is in Drachma, there are parts of it that stay warm all year, there are rye fields there, the kind that me and Aleksi used to run through as children. They're golden, much like your eyes, and when the west wind blows it is an ocean of wheat, beautiful and...undulating."

"It sounds beautiful" Alphonse smiled, his lips curving up just ever so slightly as he leaned towards her "Tell me more please?"

She looked up towards the ceiling "My brother and I, we're from the capital city of Mockba, It's in the heart of Drachma, many people there are Orthodox, which is a sect of a religion that I do not follow. There are towering cathedrals and beautiful buildings. There are many libraries, hundreds of thousands of books on everything you could ever imagine, more languages than you could ever understand. People there are dedicated to the arts, though still, hunting is big there, big game and big egos"

"You don't hunt?" He sipped his coffee, his golden oculi focused on the young woman

She shook her head "I used to"

"I see"

Mischa shrugged, poking at her food, in truth the young woman wasn't that hungry. She studied Winry from across the table, her hand intertwined with Edward's, some sort of boundless, unadulterated devotion for the eldest Elric. She wondered what it would be like to have someone who was truly adoring like he was, back in Drachma her marriage had been arranged, not that she would ever follow through with it, but, she had once considered 'learning' to love. But it was in the past now, there was no way she would ever see him again.

"Mischa? Mischa?" The younger Elric's hand waving a distance from her face brought her back to the surface

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you saying something?" She asked quietly, shaking her head

Alphonse smiled "I asked if you were alright"

"I- I just need some air" Rising from the table she excused herself

On the deck Mischa breathed deeply, her hands resting on the smooth wooden rail, her head hung low, coffee tendrils acting as a veil. The wind blew restlessly, wildly almost. It smelled strongly of snow, the scent was sharp, like diamonds, pooling in her mouth like rich chocolate or saliva. Hoisting herself up she sat on the rail, tossing her hair back. The howling wind keeping the silence at bay, staring up at the rotund, luminous rock in the sky she howled. She smiled, jumping off the rail and onto the dead grass.

She walked a distance up to the top of the hill behind the house, spinning circles so close to the sky. This was it, this was hers. She spun faster, faster, and faster still. She fell to the ground, feeling the scratchiness of the deadened, frosty grassland. Smiling she stared up at the moon, the large lunar rock in the sky, there was some sort of exhilarating balloon in her chest. She became acutely aware of someone running up the hill towards her. The frosty grass crunching under someone's shoes, they came closer and closer, until they stood over her.

"Mischa! Mischa, are you okay?" It was Alphonse, he had come out on the deck in time to see the Drachman fall

She beamed, watching his shirt flutter slightly in the squall, she sat up, little pieces of dead grass in her hair "I'm wonderful. Come, sit with me"

"But the weather!" He shook his head "You should come inside"

"Just sit here, just for a moment" She patted the earth beside her

The young man obliged, sitting down beside her "You'll catch cold sitting out here"

"Just wait, just a little bit longer" She quieted him

"Why were you up here anyway?"

"It felt right"

"No, I mean, there are other amazing automail mechanics out there, far closer to Drachma, why did you pick Granny and Winry?"

"I had heard of Pinako and her prodigy, Winry. They're they ones that people turn to when they thing there's no more hope in getting a limb, the doctors said that Aleksi would be a cripple"

Alphonse stared at the young woman, her eyes focused out on the horizon, he comprehended the fact that she was doing this all for her brother. Everything she did was for this child. He opened his mouth to ask another question only to be silenced by her hand that suddenly flew up in a sharp motion, her palm extended towards his face. She gestured to the sky, her hoary eyes filled with delight. A snowflake drifted lethargically down, landing on Alphonse's nose.


	5. Chapter 5

Alphonse stared at the sky, seeing the snowflakes drifting down from the sky, leisurely floating to and fro before landing on the duo. The flakes landing on the young woman's hair, giving her an wraithlike appearance, she seemed skeletal the more he looked at her. Soon, the wind had picked up again, sending a flurry of snow down from the heavens. Swirling around them the snowflakes brought a change in the young Drachman. Lighting her face in a way only childish joy could, she seemed stunning.

"We need to get inside" Alphonse grabbed the young woman's wrist and began to pull her down the hill towards the little farmhouse

"Please" Mischa begged grabbing the hand that grasped her delicate joints "Just a little bit longer"

For some reason unbeknownst to her, he had obliged. She stood staring up into the dark sky, the younger Elric was beginning to think she was a bit peculiar. Her hair whipped about her face, giving her the look of an Amazon.

"The wind, she listens to the things you want" She stated over the din

"What do you mean?" Leaning in he listened as she repeated herself, "What would you wish for?"

Mischa shook her head pulling Alphonse into the house they were greeted by his brother who stood there appeared perplexed at the two standing in the door way, they were looking at each other with awe.

"What did you ask for?" Mischa asked softly

"I can't tell you, else wise it won't come true" Edward watched as his brother shake his head, denying the juvenile knowledge

"No, no, no, that is an Amestrian fallacy" She scrunched her nose up, as she kicked off her boots by the door "It's a Drachman tradition"

"Well sometimes it's okay to break tradition" He grinned, his pearlescent teeth shining in the lamp light

"Well, what were you two doing outside in a blizzard?" Edward asked

The duo's head's jerked up from looking at each other, turning sharply to look at the man. His brother's cheeks were tinged pink, perhaps from the cold. His gilded eyes wide with some emotion that screamed 'I've been had'. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and stuttered out some excuse Edward wasn't really interested in. Meanwhile, the young Drachman stood quietly, as if waiting her turn to speak. The wild mass that was her usually glossy tresses, gave her the look of a girl who had stumbled out of the forest after days of being lost. Her steel eyes unfocused, looking ahead, but somehow still acutely alert of the situation.

"So, you dragged my brother out into a blizzard?" Edward asked cheekily

Her head wobbled a bit "Nonsense, he ambushed me on the hill with his concern"

"How do you ambush someone with concern?"

"You do, you just smother people with pleasantries"

"That's bull"

Mischa had failed at making breakfast, the toast was blackened, the eggs too runny, and had managed to make the coffee almost undrinkable. She stood in the kitchen, hands on her hips, gazing at the dismal cuisine.

"You made breakfast I see" Edward startled her, taking a seat at the table

The Drachman shook her head "I'm afraid it isn't edible"

"I see" He nodded

"Has Winry decided on a dress?" Mischa asked softly

The alchemist shrugged "You'd have to ask her"

"I'll talk concept with her while we're in the workshop"

"Concept?"

"Well, someone has to design the dress"

"So you can't cook, but you can design a wedding dress?"

"I'm particularly skilled in design and craft"

"I saw the arm you made for your brother, I can't help but agree"

"Good Morning!" Winry came down the stairs with Alphonse and Aleksi in tow, both looking drowsy, still half-asleep

Aleksi's face brightened when he caught sight of his sister, running to her and wrapping his arm around her. Mischa bent over the child lightly, shielding him from the world.

"_Good morning"_ Mischa smoothed his wild hair

"_I had a dream last night"_ His voice was soft, tiny.

She held him at arm's length _"What did you dream of?"_

He hesitated looking around the room at the fair-haired Amestrians _"I dreamt that…that Niklos and Papa came for us"_

Mischa paled, staring at the child, the identical grey oculi looking up at her. Her brother's dreams had never been something she took lightly, he had dreamed of the loss of his arm months before it happened. She doubted that it was just a dream, that it was only a matter of time until someone stood in the doorway of the Rockbell residence. The duo looked around the room, taking in the faces that were at the table, peering down at their plates. Pondering if the food were edible. Mischa was terrified, absolutely petrified.

Pinako had taken the girl in without hesitation once she had learned that the girl was there to learn, telling her stories of past patients and of her son and daughter-in-law. Pinako, the grandmotherly woman who had given her guidance on life and how to rebuild her brother's arm. The shining duralumin arm that represented all of her hopes and dreams poured into a piece of machinery.

And Winry, the young blonde mechanic who had mentored her. With shining blue eyes she looked at the world with a positive mind-set, refusing to back down. Winry with her smiles and temper tantrums, throwing her wrenches at Mischa and anyone within a fifteen yard radius of her. But while Mischa had ventured back to the land of exile, she had missed her incessant blathering. She had so much to look forward to, a life with the eldest Elric, children, a prosperous business.

The two brothers sitting side-by-side at the table, chatting about alchemy. Edward and Alphonse, the blondes she really didn't know much about. But somehow, they with their honeycomb eyes and smiles, they were perfect. Perfect in the ways of politeness and boorish attitudes respectively. She looked away from them, towards the window, lost in her thoughts of how she would dream of these people, yearn for them once she and Aleksi were taken away.

"Mischa? Mischa?" Winry had stopped her babbling to look at her student who had been gazing out the window

"Yes?" The Drachman looked away from the window, studying her teacher once more.

"Are you alright?" Though anyone with eyes could clearly tell that she was not alright, running her fingers through her sienna locks she shook her head

"Just a little tired, I think I'll go lay down for a bit, call if you need anything"

Ghosting up the stairs she left Aleksi in the company of the four adults. He sat down at the table happily and smiled brightly at Alphonse

"Aleksi Svetlana. Yoo?" He stuck his little hand out to the youngest Elric

Beaming at the child's poor Amestrian he took the hand and shook it firmly "Al"

"Ahl?" Aleksi asked, for confirmation of the pronunciation

Alphonse nodded before pointing to his brother "Ed"

"Edo?"

"Winry"

"Whiny"

The young woman in question's nostrils flared, inspecting the child, before attempting to correct him "Win-ree"

"Whiny" He nodded enthusiastically before pointing to Pinako "Yoo?"

"Granny" Alphonse nodded

The child's eyes lit up with some kind of understanding "Babushka!"

"What?" Edward asked his brother, confused

"I think…I think that's his work for Granny?" Alphonse asked looking at the child.

Turning over Mischa faced the wall, oblivious to the howling wind outside. She was currently staring at a small gray smudge on her wall, an oily thumb print from where she had almost fallen one night. She closed her eyes and held on to the coverlet for dear life. She could almost smell Niklos aftershave, a thick woodsy sort of scent. Niklos Ivanovich Petrov, the surly man what could potentially ruin her life. Despite his fiendish ways he had been handsome to her, with a prominent, strong nose and perfect pearlescent teeth to go with his sociable lopsided grin. He had provided a safe haven for her, the grand library of his family's estate. But things had gone downhill.

Licentious and lecher are the first two words Mischa had screamed at him when she had found that he was unfaithful to the bond they had forged, the bond that promised her to him in only a few short months. She had shrieked, throwing precious literature at him in a passionate wrath.

"Hey Mischa?" Alphonse popped his head into the room, knocking on the inner wall as he did so "I came to check on you, you need anything?"

Mischa sighed "No"

"We've got Aleksi speaking a little Amestrian now, guess what he calls Winry" The young alchemist asked cheerily

"I don't know. Amuse me" She lay there, clinging to the coverlet, her eyes glued shut

"Whiny" He chuckled before sitting on the edge of the bed, "Now, what's wrong?

"I'm just tired Alphonse, I'm just tired"

The man sighed realizing he wasn't going to get a straight answer. As he began to get up, a small hand flew out and grabbed his pants leg.

"Don't leave me alone with my thoughts"

"I hadn't planned to"


End file.
